Federally Inspected Slaughter for the 4-week period ending August 10, 2013, was estimated at 638,000 against 642,750 a year earlier. This compares with 626,750 against 631,750 in our last report. The year to date total of 19,597,000 is 1.4% down (19,869,000) or 282,000 fewer head of cattle.
Export sales of raw hides for the period showed China in top spot with 1,327,600 (1,065,700). Next came S Korea with 280,600 (396,700); Mexico with 89,100 (86,000); Taiwan with 54,600 (51,000): Hong Kong with 40,300 (25,000); and Japan with 34,500 (32,700).
Thailand 21,900 (22,800); Indonesia 21,500 (24,200); Italy 12,100; Vietnam 11,700 (16,300); Turkey 11,200; Germany 3,700 (4,700); Croatia 2,000; Uruguay 1,400 and Austria 500.
In addition, The Netherlands contracted for 30,600 kip (1,300); Italy 23,800 kip (5,800 kip); China 5,000 calf; and Hong Kong 4,500 calf.
Wet-blue sales for the same period showed Italy with 186,100 (76,400); China 131,000 (137,900); Mexico with 58,800 (140,300); the Dominican Republic 38,700 (19,600); Vietnam 36,500 (51,100); and Taiwan 20,600 (2,000).
India purchased 9,400 (6,400); S Korea 8,800 (32,400); Thailand 6,200 (27,400); Spain 2,300; and Hong Kong 1,800.
Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the US for feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head totalled 10.4 million head on July 1,2013.
The inventory included 6.53 million steers and steer calves, which is down 3% from the previous year. This group accounted for 63% of the total inventory. Heifer and heifer calves accounted for 3.78 million head, down 4% from 2012.
Placements in feedlots during June totalled 1.59 million (down 5%) and net placements were 1.52 million head. Marketing of fed cattle during June at 1.90 million (down 4%) were to lowest since the series began in 1996.
